Reply With QuoteOriginally Posted by watchstudent
How does that setup sound? Does it has enough bass?
I know there is a good few audiophiles around here so looking for some advice if possible!
I have now thrown in the towel in terms of convincing the wife that a hifi system in the living room is a good idea. So I either give up on the dream or try to incorporate a smaller system in the office. I am very inexperienced in all this though. As stated the room is 10 by 8 feet with a relatively tall ceiling. I am looking to start a vinyl collection (strange maybe, but I think I will be into it) so will get a turntable, something like the Rega Planar 1 probably. My main dilemma is do I go for much smaller speakers as the room is so small? Active or passive? The Ruark MR1 Mk2s are well reviewed but very small. At the other end of the spectrum and personal price range is the gen 1 Kef LS50s which are now reduced to around £650 plus a suitable amplifier (second hand?). But is that a waste in such a small room...
I would appreciate any gear recommendations but also would really appreciate any advice around general approach with a small room.
Budget? Well value is important but max of around £1500 I think. I currently have an old Cambridge CD player stolen from the parents garage into a chord mojo for the DAC into a pair of active Audioengine HD3s (the speakers are currently stolen from the PC in another room to test the feasibility of it all!)
Office has just been painted so all that is in there at the moment is the speakers! Table would probably be replaced with a hifi stack plus maybe some speaker stands depending on what I decide on.
Cheers
Last edited by watchstudent; 2nd November 2020 at 11:42.
How does that setup sound? Does it has enough bass?
It’s not half bad, struggles a little at higher volumes (even with the small room), bass gets muddy at higher volumes as well.
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How about a pair of KEF LSX speakers for £900 and a turntable with a built-in phono pre-amp ?
You'd need an adapter to use the 3.5mm aux in as there are no phono sockets, but apart from that and maybe some speaker stands, you're golden.
I think LS50s in that room would sound fab. As far as amps are concerned, I use Exposure, superb old-school Class A/B gear from a very well respected maker.
There’s currently a 2010S2D on the bay, I wouldn’t hesitate in going for that, I’ve just moved mine on, wonderful amp.
EDIT: You'd need a separate phono stage unless the amp had this option specified
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Last edited by Gomers; 2nd November 2020 at 12:33.
Rule of thumb:
up to half of your budget on the speakers.
best deck you can afford.
go and listen to your selected combo with a selection of your vinyl.
Hi Fi ends up being pretty subjective. You don't need a massive amp or massive speakers in that space. Good headphones may well be the way you are driven by family considerations "Turn the bloody volume down!".
Is this what would be needed? I have this cable.
https://www.futureshop.co.uk/qed-per...cable-graphite
Yes, depending on what's on the turntable. Some of the 'cheaper' turntables come with pre-attached cables rather than phono sockets, in which case you'd need female phono plugs rather than the male version.
The Rega Planar 1 Plus turntable (for example) has a preamp with phono sockets, so that cable will be fine.
I would find a local ‘proper’ Hi-Fi shop and they will be able to offer advice, options and hopefully even borrow some kit to demo in the room.
It’s a small space so large speakers might end up driving the room, but also placement could make or break the results you hear and a good dealer will be able to advise.
I'd recommend KEF LS50 too. Your room is fine. Try to keep the speakers not too in the corner, otherwise they may sound bass heavy and muddy the mid frequencies response. Budget for some stands with spikes. You can rest the spikes on some coins on the wooden floor. The Rega is a good turntable choice.
Get some decent speaker cable (QED 42 strand) and use 4mm plugs on the cable.
I was under the impression that the speakers only reproduced what went in at the front end.
Put crap in, get crap out. The reference music source is to command the optimum premium surely ?
We need Rod here I think.....:
EDIT: I see now he's here
I’ve gone for a set up based around headphones; you can get some amazing sounding ones. I have a pair of focal clear’s and fostex th900; with a chord Hugo 2 as dac/amp. If you are in a small room and want to listen with volume without annoying people, they can be a good option.
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My room isn't much bigger than that
I went for a pair of Presonus Eris E5 active speakers and a Yamaha WXC 50.
I've a Sony DVD/SACD player hooked up too, but use it with streaming music via Tidal.
Works well for me, especially as the speakers are front ported and bass controllable
Whatever you decide on speakers, I strongly recommend you carpet the room or buy a large rug to cover most of the floor area. The photos show a room that is very reflective which given its on the small side, is going to limit your enjoyment no matter how much you spend on a system.
I just bought a nearly 20 year old arcam alpha 9 amp , some B&W penta speakers and a raspberry pi based streamer with an audiophile hat.
Total cost £260 including cables .
Sounds great.
What with spending so much time in my home office, I recently added a near field active monitor system to my desk and could not be more pleased. Incredible clarity and imaging, better than any hifi system I have had before. No worry about matching amp to speakers and takes up very little space. Then I added the matching subwoofer which is very slim, and the system blew me away, sounds like a full range system. Tight controlled bass which fills the relatively large room.
I went for Genelec 8010 monitors and the matching Genelec 7040 subwoofer.
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I've done the same in a similar sized office. I managed to get some Sony MDR Z1R headphones at a decent price. Only running them through a Ifi Zendac but it still sounds brilliant. I thought about upgrading the amp/dac when I got the cans but so far haven't found the need
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I bought a second hand project debut 3 turntable and it has a built in phono stage a electronic speed control doesn’t sound much different to my old linn axis
I’d agree with this, it’s surprising how much effect soft furnishings can have on sound.
Definitely if listening from afar. I have found that in a near field set up at a desk, it has far less effect. The Genelecs have basic built in room correction anyway.
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Headphones for me in a room like this.
Pretty happy with my headphone set up for the evenings - Beyerdynamic Amiron Homes with chord mojo. Speakers provide just a different experience I think.
Did you get sorted for an Amp yet ?
I see there is a SC post for some Eris active speakers, at a good price
I'd recommend checking it out
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